KHAR/SWABI: The Bajaur district administration would engage elders and religious clerics to help achieve vaccination of the targeted children during the five-day anti-polio drive starting on Monday (today).

This was decided at a consultative meeting chaired by additional deputy commissioner Sohil Aziz and attended by district health officer Dr Wazir Khan Safi, tribal elders and religious leaders. Officials of WHO, Unicef and other anti-polio support bodies were also in attendance.

On the occasion, Mr Aziz said the district administration on the special instructions of both the federal and provincial governments had planned to adopt effective measures to eliminate the poliovirus in the district once and for all.

He said elders and religious leaders would be taken on board to make the upcoming campaign a success as they enjoyed influence in their respective areas. He asked the elders and religious leaders to extend their valuable support to the health department.

The district health officer said 235,800 children below the age of five years would be vaccinated during the drive, for which a total 940 teams of vaccinators had been formed.

Meanwhile, the police claimed to have taken all security measures for the safety of health workers during the anti-polio drive.

Briefing journalists, DPO Pir Shahab Ali Shah said over 1,900 police personnel would be deployed for security of vaccinators.

Meanwhile, the Swabi police conducted a search operation in the most sensitive union councils on Sunday, a day ahead of the launch of an anti-polio campaign, and arrested several suspects.

It is to mention here that two female polio workers were killed when they were targeted in Parmuli region on Jan 29.

Speaking at a meeting, district police officer Imran Shahid asked the subordinate officials to perform their duty with complete determination and remain vigilant throughout the campaign. He said they had conducted an operation in Parmuli and various other regions and arrested several suspects.

“For the security of polio teams we have deployed a total 1,437 security personnel across the district,” he said.

Dr Mohammad Tariq, district health officer, said a total 285,000 children, including Afghans, would be vaccinated during the campaign.

He said 966 teams, including 861 mobile, 71 fixed and 31 transit, had been formed.

Meanwhile, speaking at a separate meeting, deputy commissioner Shahid Mehmood said tight security umbrella would be provided to the vaccinators during the campaign days.

The meeting was told that security had been beefed up in the 13 most sensitive union councils.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2020